


Existence in Indigenous Tongues

by voleuse



Category: The Office (US)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-22
Updated: 2007-08-22
Packaged: 2017-10-04 03:47:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voleuse/pseuds/voleuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>But who can love with a closed mouth?</em><br/>Three things Jim Halpert likes about Pam Beesley, and three things he doesn't like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Existence in Indigenous Tongues

**Author's Note:**

> Set during S1, no spoilers. Title and summary adapted from Elizabeth Alexander's _Sonnet_.

_Like #1_

Dwight decides to rate all of Jim's sales calls as a lesson in "superior salesmanship." And also, Jim suspects, a diversionary tactic. (One of Dwight's best clients recently deserted to Staples. Jim believes there will be a bonfire of polaroids after the office closes, and maybe a ritual taken from the Ewok people.)

Jim's own clients have stayed loyal so far this week. After the third failed upsell, however, he's feeling a little frustrated. Maybe he clicks his transfer button a little too vehemently, because Dwight picks up his specially designated clipboard with a smirk.

"You mark that frame an eight, and you're entering a world of pain," Jim jokes, half-serious.

Pam's laugh is immediate and distracting, and when he looks over to her desk, she gives him two thumbs-up and a serene grin.

Dwight draws a large and irregular zero, and Jim has to leave the room because Pam can't stop laughing.

_Like #2_

You would think, working for a paper company, that there wouldn't be any need to hoard office supplies.

This does not stop Pam from squirreling away one of each type of Post-It note they stock. Every color, every size, and even those weird ones that are supposed to look like flowers.

Pam leaves early one afternoon, and Jim stays late.

The next morning, her desk is overwhelmed with Post-Its, each one featuring a lopsided smiley face, or half of a knock-knock joke.

She keeps, Jim discovers, every single one of them.

_Like #3_

Pam's secret dislike of Angela isn't really a secret at all. Not to Jim, anyway, because he sees her face after Angela mentions curly hair is a longstanding hallmark of prostitutes and marijuana addicts.

When Angela's oldest cat dies, however, Pam is the first person to give her a hug. Pam's the first and only person to ask Angela how she found the cat, in the first place.

Jim sits in the break room and listens along with Pam, and even though she rolls her eyes a few times, Pam doesn't interrupt Angela once.

_Dislike #1_

During one of their more misinformed staff meetings ("It is important," Michael explains, "for us to understand how people from other countries greet each other"), Kevin makes an unfortunate comment about meeting hot chicks.

Michael, of course, gestures towards Pam in his reply. Or, more specifically, at Pam's breasts.

Pam doesn't protest. She doesn't even frown. She just twists her pencil between her hands.

Jim grinds his teeth, and keeps his mouth shut.

_Dislike #2_

Jim doesn't actually like jellybeans at all.

Pam keeps buying them, though, so he eats the least objectionable ones and smiles.

_Dislike #3_

The day after Jan makes a surprise inspection, Jim finds Pam's notes while searching for binder clips behind the "Q" file in the filing cabinet. (It's a long story.)

Aside from the usual doodles Pam makes when she deems the conversation un-minute worthy, there are a few scribbles in the margins. From what he can decipher, they're Pam's own ideas on office efficiency. Her suggestions for sales calls would be difficult to implement (commissions would have to get thrown out, and nobody would go for that), but her notes on seminars and vacation time are interesting.

Jim listens around the office more carefully for a few days, but the topic never comes up. He wonders whether she just let them ignore her during the meeting, or whether she never brought up her ideas at all.

Knowing Pam, it was probably the latter.


End file.
